Djokovic survives and does not miss his appointment with the semifinals

Novak Djokovic can never be left for dead in a game. No matter how many problems and setbacks he may have, the Serbian is able to stand up, fight and turn around adverse markers, like the one I had against Stefanos Tsitsipas when the duel was postponed on Friday by rain. The number one in the world lost by 6-4 and 2-1 with break for the Greek. The following day, after 11:00, he went to the Centrale del Foro Italico where he had been in the fourth quarter without fail for seven years in a row. He did it willing to give up his life to go back and he succeeded. He first equaled the clash with two breaks after lifting a break point to make it 5-4.; and in a third set in which he was twice behind on the scoreboard and on the verge of a double break, with a final 3-0 he did not even let his rival reach the tiebreaker: 4-6, 7-5 and 7-5 in 3:16 am spread over two days. “The support from the public has been amazing. It was difficult, but I believed in victory and conditions were different today. It was the hardest game of the year for me “, said the Balkan.

Djokovic will also have to play on Saturday (at 18:30) the semifinals against Italian Lorenzo Sonego (26 years old and 33rd), who eliminated against the forecast Russian Andrey Rublev (3-6, 6-4 and 6-3 in 2h : 33) in a meeting that could not even start yesterday due to the suspension of part of the day. “It is a dream in my favorite tournament, with my people. It is a very exciting time for me and I will be playing Novak. I’ll give my best. It is an incredible day and I am very happy, “said the Turinese.

Out of caste and courage, Nole will continue with the defense of the 2020 title, although he is not seen as imperial. In fact, Tsitsipas’s conservatism helped him a lot in the second set, when he was ahead and did not push the rest. The Greek has conceded two painful defeats against two of the biggest in recent weeks, in the final in Barcelona when he had match balls against Nadal, and this time in the Italian capital against Djokovic.

Colossal

Things that can happen when a player of the ‘mortals’ is measured with one of the ‘gods’ of tennis, who are capable of beating anyone without playing at their highest level. Nole was overwhelmed at times, but he found a way to counterattack in decisive moments and play off devilishly, as he knows. Tsitsipas tried everything, but made some misdirection that doomed him. You will have to keep trying on future dates, because you have the tennis to do it. Djokovic has to double to be in the final. We will see.

Results Masters 1.000 Rome.